Ok, so this is a little bit after the fact but The Hunter has been busy eating :) This past May 5th was punctuated by a great lunch with my best buddy Jesse G. I was early and he tends to run late so I felt I may as well start with the Monthly flight of Tequila. Cocina has an amazing selection and very knowledgable staff so I highly recommend this place just on that fact alone. The Hunter really tested them, and consumed a solid four shots and a beer. (ok so maybe not drunk, but well buzzed for sure). So let’s talk NACHOS!

SERVICE: Great service. The bartender offered a sip of a new bottle as we talked food options. The wait staff checked on me often and there was delivery without wait and everything hot off the grill. I don’t give 10s and 9s are hard to make but this was as close as it gets. 8.5 would be more like it.

AMBIENCE: Cocina sits in a retail, office and residential complex that popped up in the past few years. I would describe it as urban upscale techie as most folks work at Apple Yahoo and the like. It’s casual and friendly and I would even bring the kids…. if I liked kids. There is also limited outdoor seating, a plus.

APPEARANCE: If you have not seen or read prior reviews, I look for color, layers, portion size, and that something special, like trip-color chips. This is a great platter. It has great balance of everything. What would put it over the top would be a touch more in proportion and maybe a touch more sour cream….. if I have to be picky

TASTE: I asked for steak but the chef tossed carnitas on top. The waitress offered to remake but I love that just as much so no foul. Turned out to be a good call as the carnitas was excellent, great flavor, even some char. Really, this is a fantastic nacho platter with almost perfect balance. Standouts were those thick and crunch house chips and the meat. The one miss was that would have liked more cheese. The holy trinity is CHIPS CHEESE & MEAT.

VALUE: My platter of nachos was $4 less than then Jesse’s tacos so I give them better than average. What would up the rank would be more nachos or $1 lower in price for what I got. Again, I am one picky SOB

SPECIAL NOTE: If I could give some 1/2 points to the categories Cocina would have got a solid 37 -37.5 Congrats as it is, and that's not the tequila talking.

So I have mentioned a few time that I was taken by and editorial that ranked the best chain restaurant nachos and that I wanted to see for myself just how good they were. Not off of the ranked establishments are local to me but I am working through the list and will substitute if I can. This trip takes me to Applebee’s, a combination family restaurant and happy hour style bar for the “office space” crowd. So here is how it went….

SERVICE: Right off the bat, great service with one guy pointing me to the restroom, a smiling waitress saying try the bar. So I sit down at the bar and get a friendly quick delivering bartender. Better than expected based on prior visits to other Appelbee’s

AMBIENCE: It’s ok, I mean it is a chain restaurant and the atmosphere is overly manufactured and generic. That said, it was clean, bright and the music and TVs were not overpowering. I was very amused actually that they were playing obscure 70s /80s hits like Chucky’s In Love and Ring My Bell LOL! I’m going to give it better than average. Like I said in the review, if you work at Innotech, eat here over Chachkies LOL!!!!

APPEARANCE: These were decent looking nachos, not special, but I like to keep it all in context. Missing was the Guaq that most people get and I would have loved tri-color chips as well; but this is not a perfect world. Ok, maybe I'm being hard, they really do get your mouth ready to chomp down on a chip and stuff yourself. Better than average for sure.

TASTE: This is a stupid segment to review as anything that has cheese, meat, and all that yumminess mixed together will taste good. Just look how excited I was with the Carne Asada. They were really good; in fact these gave my top pick so far a run for the money. As no two platters are the same I want to say that I was very satisfied, just look at the plate..... and when do I ever say Yum yum yummy? LOL!!!!!

VALUE: Very good value, this place is still a great way to spend $10 on a meal. When you look at the crap I had at Houlihan’s these were epic.